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+++++ READERS ON GOODREADS RECENTLY VOTED THIS BOOK - NO.1 E-BOOK FOR "LITTLE KNOWN AUTHORS WORTH READING" +++++ It has also topped the Amazon MURDER and POLITICAL list for free e-books +++++
Hidden deep in the dense, humid, jungles of Asia is a shameful secret. For seventy years the barbaric acts of cruelty committed by the Japanese Imperial Army were hidden from the world. Times have changed, but the murders continue—the culprit now a corrupt politician, Senator Enrique Consuelo.
Deadly Election is based on real events. The defeated General Yamashito and his band of cut-throat soldiers retreat, scrambling through the dense Philippine jungle towards the sea and freedom. But the advancing troops of the American General McCarthy are in close pursuit—too close for Yamashito.
Tired and hungry the General’s men bury the treasure and gold—the spoils of war, deep within the jungle in an effort to enable their escape.
Many years pass by, and the jungle guards its secret hoard until the fateful day three youths stumble upon a cache of hidden gold. Their good fortune is short-lived—the boys are brutally murdered and the gold disappears once more. But the murderers were careless. These new atrocities were witnessed by a retired Australian soldier - Paul Rowntree, who seeks his own rewards through blackmail.
Consuelo is unwilling to part with his ill-gotten gains and hatches a plan to murder Paul—no witness, no problem…or so he assumes. But even the best laid plans are apt to fail. A downward spiral of murder, betrayal, intrigue and infidelity transpires that will shake his world to its very core.
A power struggle instigated by Paul to bring the Senator down, ends with Consuelo’s capture. His loyal young wife, Chloe tries to support him but is out of her depth. Paul gets revenge but he is not a man to give up on an opportunity. He finds a way to profit from his efforts.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Arthur Crandon is a lawyer, the boring office kind, not the exciting (and much better paid) courtroom type. He worked as a solicitor for a while before embarking on an interesting life overseas. He has spent most of his time in recent years in South East Asia, more recently in Hong Kong. Before that, Arthur lived and worked in the Philippine Islands (particularly Luzon and Mindanao) for a number of years. During these years, the experiences of political life and the realities of doing business and living in the Philippines became all too apparent. These experiences are vividly portrayed during the course of 'Deadly Election' and provide the reader with an accurate insight of what to expect if ever they choose to visit the archipelago. He loves to fish, and play the piano – but spends most of his time writing, eating, drinking and sleeping – usually, but not always, in that order. His first book, Deadly Election, draws on his strange imagination and his experiences, together with those of others, in a land that, beneath a veneer of civilization, operates like the Wild West and is very dangerous to innocent and gullible foreigners.

More About the Author

Arthur Crandon has retired three times so far, and is still working. He was a lawyer in the UK but has also done some interesting things as well.He has travelled extensively around South East Asia and has ended up in Hong Kong partly by accident, but mainly for the fish and chips.He is great with words (loves crosswords) but no good with figures (hates soduko). He lives there with his family and pets. When he gets time he goes fishing, and when he has a piano, he plays it. His three greatest loves in life are music, writing and fish. Oh, and Starbucks, where he does most of his writing.

Arthur Crandon has produced in “Deadly Election” a nearly unputdownable read about one of the many treasures the withdrawing Japanese were rumored to have hidden in the Philippine countryside over 70 years ago, and its effect on a modern day Pilipino election.

At the promised return of General Douglas MacArthur, one of the fabled General Yamashita treasures is hidden in a cave near the Spanish-style town of Vigan. Pilipino witnesses from a nearby village are raped and murdered by the retreating Japanese, their bodies thrown into the cave just before the entrance is sealed and camouflaged.

Seventy years later, three young men stumble upon the bone filled cave and its treasure of Spanish doubloons. Overwhelmed by their discovery, they seek the assistance of the area's cacique, Senator Enrique Consuelo, the leading candidate in the upcoming presidential election. Not a stranger to the darker arts of deceit, violence, murder and corruption, Consuelo has his men take the youngsters to the cave, murder them and steal the treasure. Unbeknownst to the Senator's thugs, an out of luck expat witnesses the incident from afar while on a hike with his child.

Preparing an intricate fail-safe system, the expat approaches the Senator with the intention of extorting a part of the treasure. Consuelo orders him killed and the order gives way to a chase that ultimately triggers the fail safes, a number of envelopes mailed to the authorities when the expat fails to keep to his contact schedule.Read more ›

DEADLY ELECTION is a political thriller set in the Phillipine Islands in the 21st century.Arthur Crandon (a former lawyer turned writer) has used his sweeping knowledge of the islands to pen an impressive panoramic vista of this 3rd world country during an election.

Do you expect to read about murder, rape, adultery, deception, intrigue, greed, robbery, revenge and conspiracy? You will in DEADLY ELECTION with Crandon's narrative drive and sense of urgency pushing hard to compel your attention and combine with an intriguing mix of legalese and compassion.

All of the island's governmental apparatus - Police, Armed Forces, Jurisprudence, Treasury, Prisons, Private Security, Media (Press and T.V.) and the Catholic hierarchy appear like players in a masked ball as the election runs it's course.

Cranndon's role in this drama is not made clear. The stark reality is that he fled the islands for his life after 8 years in residence. He now lives in Hong Kong.

DEADLY ELECTION is a highly reccommended read. It earns it's 5 star status by content and style alone. There is more to come as the Asian Intrigue theme will be repeated.Dennis Coates02/07/2013.

An exciting debut novel. Arthur Crandon exposes the seamier side of the island paradise, the Philippines. Greed and ambition are depicted at their worst as the evil politician, Senator Consuelo, ducks and dives to avoid the inevitable. The plot twists and turns, with betrayal, infidelity and murder liberally sprinkled around as the old soldier, Paul, doggedly pursues the Senator. It was difficult to put down. I look forward to Mr. Crandons next book in the series.

This novel set in the Philippines is centred around the corruption, sleazy life and immorality of its political life. Characters are out to get rich quick and it doesn't matter how. Although one drawback is that maybe the novel is overlong, this is really worth trying out.

A fan of fast-paced crime and political fiction? Deadly Election delivers.

The Senator will do anything to become President of the Philippines. And since the Senator has made certain of everyone's support, either through choice or by blackmail, it seems inevitable he will win.

Such high stakes require much to resist the urge to simply allow "business as usual." Luckily, a few step forward.

Deadly Election's plot is tight, and its action is riveting. Be prepared, however, for violence and the graphic rape of a child.

This is a perfect example of how a good rewrite can greatly improve a book.

I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. The first time through, however, I noticed very significant grammar errors and weaknesses in the plot. I informed the author of my concerns. To his credit, he said he'd heard similar critiques from others. He let me know he was in contact with an editor and would be reworking the novel.I told him I would reserve my review until after reading the new edition.

I'm glad I did.

Deadly Election, in its current form, is a strong novel. It is based on real events and reads like non-fiction. That means it is very believable.

In the rewrite, the character of Chloe was greatly enhanced. She gives us a very human and relatively untainted view of this crime-filled, seedy world.

A word of caution: this is a very adult novel. There are graphic depictions of violence and violations.

IN CONCLUSIONI feel very privileged to have seen the novel in both iterations. If Arthur Crandon continues to grow like this, we can expect very good things from him in the future.